Background
What training, experience, and characteristics qualify, you for this position?
I have this amazing ability to actually listen to information that contradicts my world view, use that information to inform, and even change how I view an issue. Politicians tend to speak in absolutes and I tend to see the world in shades of gray.
Being able to see the truth in what people you disagree with and the inaccuracies in the claims of your allies is a skill that needs to be introduced into our partisan political system.
Do you have any personal experience with a disability or an individual with a disability?
What comes to mind is one my closest friends in high school and my aunt (who lived with us for a time) had very severe epilepsy. Neither of them could work because of their conditions. Later my friend had brain surgery and last I heard is completely cured.
Budget
How would you propose to balance the state budget while ensuring individuals with
disabilities have access to needed services and resources that help them remain as
independent as possible?
My strategy is to prioritize spending cuts based on those who need it first. I was appalled when I learned the current Legislature cut support for the blind in favor of college funding.
If I was in office at that time I would have pressured (shamed if possible) the other members to crack down on corporate welfare and unaccountable tax credit programs to balance the budget before cutting services to people who rely on it.
Voting
Missouri Disability Vote Project strives to ensure that every individual with a disability
who is eligible to vote is actually able to vote come Election Day. However, individuals
with disabilities face threats with regards to voting due to inaccessible polling places and
proposed voter photo identification requirements. What is your'stance on Voter Photo
Identification legislation?
I'm against Voter ID requirements and other voter suppression tactics.
How will you help to ensure polling places are ADA accessible?
I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I just assumed poling places are already accessible. I'd be willing to hear suggestions on how to make polling places more accessible. What popped into my head was trying to allow the option of going to another polling station that is more convenient but that could create more problems than it would solve.
Community Living
In what ways would you support community-based services for individuals with
disabilities as opposed to those options that segregate this population, such as nursing
homes and hab centers?
I wouldn't support any bills that would promote shifting towards segregating. My wife works for an ISL for low functioning people with autism and I would like to think it makes a difference in their life not being in a group home.
Transportation/Housing
In many areas across Missouri there are a lack of public para-transit transportation
resources as well as a lack of affordable housing for seniors and individuals with
disabilities. If elected, what would your position be on resolving these issues?
When I graduated college I sold my car so I could afford to live in Chicago. I used public transportation nearly every day. I am an advocate for public transit but I see it as more of a municipal issue and haven't considered what state level advocacy could be done.
For para-transit and housing, in the current political climate and budget, I would mostly serve a defensive role in keeping funding cuts away from vital services. By focusing attention on corporate abuse of tax credit programs and subsides to private companies, conservative members can still brag about being fiscally superior while avoiding public shaming of going after those who actually need the help.
Employment
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of unemployment or
underemployment is much higher for individuals with disabilities than those without a
disability. What do you propose could help this disparity?
With such high unemployment any hesitation to hire a particular person becomes amplified. This causes an exponential growth in the disparity felt by minorities, women, and people with disabilities. The best way to combat this unfortunate trend is to help employers focus on the individuals merits instead (often baseless) worries by giving the disadvantaged tools to help them cover the gap.
For example, some internet providers are considering the possibility of limiting bandwidth. Because the internet was created with tax payer funds and is the greatest vehicle of free speech we have, I am not of the opinion that they should be able to do this (though there may be a technical reason for this I haven't considered).
Protecting bandwidth will also have the benefit of protecting telecommuting for those who find commuting difficult or require modified computers that may not be available at the office.
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